Claim: Rumours are spreading on social media claiming Pakistan’s first confirmed coronavirus patient has been released from Aga Khan University Hospital. Fact: The patient is still admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital. Social media has been inundated with misinformation and disinformation since news of the 2019 Novel coronavirus outbreak spread in December 2019. On 26 […]
On 26 February 2020, the Sindh Health Department confirmed Pakistan’s first case of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19. Shortly after, Special Minister to the Prime Minister for Health Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed Pakistan’s first two cases of COVID-19, assuring citizens that the situation is under control and there is no need to panic. Media […]
CLAIM: Pakistan is manufacturing a cure for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and exporting it to China in large quantities. FACT: Although some researchers believe a drug called Chloroquine Phosphate could help treat the disease, on 20 February 2020, Dr. Janet Diaz, lead for clinical case management in the WHO Health Emergencies program, said there is […]
Claim: 2019 Novel Coronavirus can be cured by consuming a bowl of freshly boiled garlic water. Fact: There is no evidence to support this claim. Verdict: Mostly False The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus a global emergency. As of January 3, 2020, at least 304 people have […]
What is coronavirus? A coronavirus is a common organism that causes an infection in the nose, sinus or upper throat. The novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new coronavirus that has not been identified previously. 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. According to the Centers […]
Claim: News reports claim that the temperature is likely to drop to 3°C during the current cold wave in Karachi. Rumours circulating that the metropolis will witness its coldest day in the past 100 years. Fact: According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), temperatures are predicted to fall to 6°C, at the lowest, not 3°C. […]
Claim: A video alleging heavy rainfall in the first week of January 2020 was circulated on Facebook and Twitter. Fact: The video was not taken in the first week of January 2020, it was filmed on November 25, 2019. Verdict: False Since August 2019, there seems to have been a web of disinformation surrounding the […]